Legality of M16 bolt carrier in an OLL

[GI-M1]

I actually have 2 questions:

1) Is it legal to put an early M16 bolt carrier into an OLL assuming no other parts in the OLL are M16 (eg. trigger parts)? Is this a 'Federal' gun law issue, but not a 'State' law concern?


2) Are there any advantages to using a chrome bolt carrier + chrome bolt in your AR rife? I use to collect early AR15 parts and found that it was much easier to clean the bolt carrier group when it was 'chromed'.

TIA

[Blue]

It's legal. Try finding a 9mm AR15 bolt that ISNT setup for full auto. Colt made a semi auto bolt but it never really took off. M16 bolt carriers are fine to run in an AR. Chrome is nice, some people will say that it will wear your upper out faster though.

[Max-the-Silent]

I actually have 2 questions:

1) Is it legal to put an early M16 bolt carrier into an OLL assuming no other parts in the OLL are M16 (eg. trigger parts)? Is this a 'Federal' gun law issue, but not a 'State' law concern?


2) Are there any advantages to using a chrome bolt carrier + chrome bolt in your AR rife? I use to collect early AR15 parts and found that it was much easier to clean the bolt carrier group when it was 'chromed'.

TIA

1. Yes. No.

2. Chrome or certain coated bolts are slicker in the reciever during cycling, and the common wisdom is that they may increase reliability. My opinion is that in any standard gas system 15/16 it's shooters preference- if you have one, use it, but I wouldn't pay a premium for a coated carrier.

[ibanezfoo]

According to the little notes in the Bushmaster catalog, any M16 part installed in an AR is illegal.

-Bryan

[Fate]

According to the little notes in the Bushmaster catalog, any M16 part installed in an AR is illegal.

-Bryan

What the hell do they know about CA law? Seriously!

It's legal. So is using a complete UPPER from a M16. It's the full auto parts that will get you into Club Fed.

[Ryan HBC]

Some people will tell you that a chrome carrier is a bad thing. They say it will wear out your upper receiver faster than a standard parked carrier, and that a parked carrier will hold lube better.

It's all pretty much speculation. In my mind, a slicker chrome carrier makes more sense but I can only speculate as well. The only thing that can be certain is that they are definitely easier to clean.

[JTROKS]

I always thought that the M-16 bolt carrier is required to run the full auto parts. Doesn't that make the M-16 carrier part of the full auto parts?

JTROKS

[Sirlight]

I recall reading a law in which it stated any M16 or machine-gun part used would make it illegal. The standard bolt carrier should be just fine. No need to have an M16 anything. I say avoid the whole situation and hearsay and just go standard AR BCG.

[bwiese]

(1) It is legal to use M16 bolt carriers in your semiauto AR. People like the extra mass. However, don't possess (even unassembled, even at a separate location from your rifle) M16 fire control parts, auto sears or lightning links.

Colt and other AR vendors ship, or have shipped, M16 bolt carriers in their civvy semiauto rifles for quite some years. While generally just because "someone sells it" doesn't make it legal, in this case this has long been borne out. In fact, I believe all the Colt 9mm semiauto carbines use identical carriers btwn FA/SA.


(2) External chroming on your carrier is both unnecessary, and detrimental to life of your upper receiver. Strips thru/wears dry film lube, breaks thru residual CLP buildup, etc. Uncle Sugar found accelerated wear patterns in uppers in the mid 1960s and pulled the chromed carriers for these reasons.
[However, non-bottom-feeder bolt carriers are indeed chrome lined *inside* where the bolt fits.]

Bolt carriers don't have to be 'white glove' clean on outside. I wipe mine down with a solvent rag then CLP. You gotta clean the insides, but that's not that bad. If it takes you longer than 5-7 minutes to clean your AR (unless it's a match/spacegun with elaborate bbl cleaning procedures) you're taking too long.

[MrLogan]

Yes, an M16 bolt carrier IS legal.

[Ak47owner]

For give me if i am wrong, but does'nt the real M-16 have a slot/nub that is in the bolt carrier that when it goes in to battery it trips the sear making it a auto part. I know with the ak and g3 on the bolt carriers there are those slots which should be ground down. I know its not mandatory to do this, but it could save your neck while standing infront of a judge.

[bohoki]

For give me if i am wrong, but does'nt the real M-16 have a slot/nub that is in the bolt carrier that when it goes in to battery it trips the sear making it a auto part. I know with the ak and g3 on the bolt carriers there are those slots which should be ground down. I know its not mandatory to do this, but it could save your neck while standing infront of a judge.

amen to that its not to hard to grind out the back section to keep you out of trouble




also olympic arms grinds theirs a bit less

http://www.olyarms.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=42

[Telperion]

The rifle was designed to use the M16-weight carrier. There's no benefit to the lighter carrier designs, as I see it.

[4 Brigada]

What the hell do they know about CA law? Seriously!

The DOJ/BoF doesnt know the CA law. Why should Bushmaster,

[4D5auto]

The rifle was designed to use the M16-weight carrier. There's no benefit to the lighter carrier designs, as I see it.

I would think a faster cyclic rate using a lighter carrier. My next question is, has anyone used an aluminum carrier???